ATN #418

SPONSORED CONTENT
MaxiTRANS
STANDING THE TEST OF TIME
On the diamond jubilee year of Freighter manufacturing in Australia, one of its
longest-standing customers, New South Wales-based Ross Transport MD Alan Ross,
shares his thoughts on his 40+ years’ journey with the Freighter brand
This is Ross Transport’s 46th year
of operation. The business was
founded by Alan’s parents, Reg and
Frances Ross, in the ‘70s. Reg bought the
first Freighter trailer in 1977. Alan, who
was 14-years-old at the time, remembers
painting the trailer himself.
“My dad bought it without wheels and
tyres, and it was unpainted to keep the
cost down,” Alan says.
“I painted it for us, and we fitted our
own wheels and tyres. We got our first few
trailers that way. Forty years on, I’m still
buying from Freighter. It’s a relationship
that has stood the test of time and I can’t
see myself ever going to any other brand
for flat top and tautliner trailers.
“We didn’t buy a lot of trailers until the
1980s. Once my dad left the business in
1988, I took over and we went from 10
trucks to now having a fleet of over 120
trucks and trailers. The plan was ‘50 at 50’
and I made that goal and here I am not 60
yet and we have well over 65 trailers. Close
to 95 per cent of my trailers, including flat
tops and tautliners, are from Freighter.”
Alan considers himself very fortunate
to have three generations of the family
working in the business. Frances, who
turns 80 this year, still comes in to do the
mail and a few other things around the
office. His daughter, True Ross, joined the
business seven years ago when she was
still at uni and now is helping Alan manage
the business.
Ross Transport operates an interstate
fleet, carting steel on flat tops running
between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne,
in addition to other freight including timber,
building materials, grain and fertiliser.
“I appreciate that Freighter trailers are
Australian-made,” Alan says.
“I have seen imported trailers and they
just don’t compare with Freighter trailers.
We have tried other brands of trailers as
well but some issues with those made us
come back to Freighter.
“I feel they still are the best-looking
trailers on the road. They stand out from
the rest and have their own identity as a
Freighter trailer.
“Freighter was the first one to come with
aluminium floors, which made the floors
tougher for carting steel. While Freighter
trailers do run on a production line, I feel
their production line is very diverse to tailor
to custom-built trailers.
“We have had many custom
specifications over the years – from
lighting, to toolbox design and placement,
timber racks, aluminium floors and unique
paint work. The paint job they do is
excellent; their sandblasting and painting
techniques are best in the market.
“We have been buying from Freighter
since they used to have sub-dealers in
Sydney. Now, they sell under their brand
banner MaxiTRANS and the customer
service and sales experience is just
as excellent.
“Over a year ago, we did have a problem
with a Freighter trailer that upset me
greatly at the time. Freighter managed
to resolve the issue for me and it’s water
under the bridge now. We were back
buying new trailers from them soon and
I wouldn’t continue buying from them if
they weren’t good people and making a
good product.
“We have another new trailer coming in
a few months. It is going to be the cleanest
truck in Australia. The gentleman who
drives it now, Ronny Duncan, has been with
me for over 15 years. The truck he drives
now with a set of Freighter trailers is the
cleanest truck – you cannot find a spec of
dirt on his truck but the new one is going
to be even better. I’m very excited about
it and I’m going to call it ‘Rainbow with a
twist’,” Alan says, proudly.
30 ATN July 2021 FULLYLOADED.COM.AU